Spy's Game
by WaterBird22
Summary: ON HOLD! Numair is the most powerful spy in Tortall. With his top spy Mira Kareem, he must destroy a powerful enemy while keeping a watch on his heart. Numair/Daine AU. NO Numair/Mira! Sorry to all the Numair/Mira fans *note the sarcasm* ON HOLD!
1. Introduction

A/N: This is my new Numair/Daine love story, only this one is very AU

**A/N: This is my new Numair/Daine love story, only this one is very AU. In this George Cooper is the official spymaster, and the best mage in Tortall is the Whisper Man. Numair and his best agents, including Mira Kareem because I love her character, must ferret out threats to Tortall and keep it safe. But what happens when Numair Salmalin goes head to head with the Gallan spy Daine Sarrasri? Well, that's why I wrote this story! –WaterBird22**

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** Prologue: The spy's game introductions**

Numair Salmalin was a very powerful man and anyone who told you otherwise was stupid, mistaken, or deluded. He was a duke in the realm of Tortall, the most powerful mage in said realm, and the real spymaster for the realm as well. He had women falling at his feet, and enemies falling at his sword point. He controlled everything in some, small or large, way. He was loved by most and feared –at least a little- by all. Whatever else there is to say about Numair though, he is a fair man. Justice is what he cares about.

Now Numair had an assistant as well. Mira Kareem, beautiful as she was cold. No one could doubt her power and influence in the realm; a Duchess for her service, the second-in-command of Tortall's spies, a mage, and a calculating mind. She was Numair's pride, his best operative hands down. A warrior bent on liberty, justice, and a good life for any station she was loved by the people. Men tried to court her, but everyone with a brain could tell that Numair was the only man in her life. Not in the way most would think, she was just committed to duty. Tortall's Snake Queen was as horse hearted as she was serpentine.

Of course neither of these great and powerful spies had ever met Veralidaine Sarrasri, Wildmage of Galla. She was the spy of a rival realm, powerful and beautiful. In fact, she looked a lot like Tortall's Snake Queen Mira, something that would cause trouble for both spies. Proud and quick-witted Daine was not one to be underestimated, no matter her young age. The People's young girl was truly a wonder.

Animals played a powerful role for the spies of Tortall and Galla, more so than people would imagine. Mira could communicate with snakes, and in a way she could do so with her horses as well. Daine was, of course, a Wildmage. Naturally, she could talk to, control, and even turn into animals. So the animals played a big part with them.

Aside from the serpents that earned her the nickname Snake Queen, Mira had a special bond with two horses. Alan was the stallion of a herd her father had owned. He was the first horse Mira had ever developed a bond with. Midori was Alan's lady, his mate. She came a few years later than her mate, but she is a solid and smart horse…if a little naive.

Daine had three animals she kept with her at all times: Cloud, Bangle, and Spotty. Cloud was her pony; grey, brave, and wise. Bangle was a supernatural cat, half Immortal, with great instincts. Spotty was a messenger bird of confusing origins, but no bird was ever harder to catch.

The clash between these minds was a story worth knowing, as it often determined who would live and who would die. It kept a great many folks afraid when it started out, and during the first years of it. No one dared breathe when a new spy notice was pinned up. No one knew who was safe, who was next, or who to trust.


	2. Dead End

A/N: YAY

**A/N: YAY! First chapter of my new story! I have paused Magelet and Mage for a week (read latest A/N there for reasons) so I decided to write this. It's been nagging me for a while.**

Numair Salmalin looked up as a stack of papers was thrown onto the document he was signing. Standing there, in all her serpentine glory, was his best operative. The Snake Queen Mira Kareem did not look happy, and in her hand was the reason why. A bag hung from right hand, a bloody bag. "I take it there were no problems?"

"I am a spy, not an assassin! The assassins you hired were all killed so I had to do the dirty work myself. It's in my contract that I don't have to kill, but it wouldn't have been done any other way." Mira threw the blood soaked bag onto her boss's desk and turned to leave.

"Their Highnesses have requested our attendance. Go get changed, I think there is more to it than just a congratulations on a job well done."

Mira shook her head and left, walking straight to her rooms. Her clothes were covered in gore and grime, and it was caked onto her face and in her hair. A nice shower was in order before any meeting with the King and Queen. Once she was clean she pulled her hair up into a simple twisting bun with unadorned, unseen, black pins. Then she went to her extensive closet and picked the first early spring dress she saw, light blue with pink trim.

Outside the reception chamber, Numair and Mira met up again. Spy watched spy until they were admitted. Both bowed low, Mira didn't curtsey, and looked at their monarchs. "How may we be of service, Highness?" Numair asked quietly.

"We have received disturbing reports of spying and assassinations coming from Galla. Three of our best tax collectors have been killed and all of them had the same symbol cut into their arms, a rearing horse surrounded by thorns. We need this solved before it goes too far."

"That should be simple enough; there are only hundreds of spies in Galla with the ability to carve a symbol into a person's skin. We should be able to figure that out in minutes." Mira pulled a piece of parchment out of her pouch while she spoke. "Could anyone draw it, of have none of us here seen it?"

"I'm sorry Mira; none of us have seen it." Thayet was not surprised by her duchess's sarcasm; Mira had been raised that way. She was cynical, cold, and sarcastic. But she was also the perfect spy.

"Well, I suppose one of us will have to go to the scene then." Turning to the Snake Queen, Numair added. "We would probably do better to handle this together. George can do the spy work here for a while we solve this."

"Agreed." King Jon waved a hand at them. "You lave today, it isn't even noon yet." His spies bowed and walked out of the room to pack.

After an uneventful week on the road, Numair and Mira were more than ready to solve the bit of spy work they had. It was a small village, Yirilath, and no one had any clue why the tax collectors had been there. None of them were assigned to this area, so the assassin must have moved them post-mortem

When they were led to the body, the spy pair inspected the marks and reconfirmed that the cause of death was poison. Whoever this was, they knew their stuff.

"I think that this is the symbol of the Wildmage of Galla." Mira looked at Numair, puzzled. How could he know that?

"Are you sure? It could be someone impersonating her. So far she is very peaceful, hating to kill. Why would she so suddenly change her mind?"

"Because the king told her to. You hate to kill, yet you do if need be."

"That's different, this is murder!"

"And the ones you kill have people who think you brutally murdered them." Mira shook her head and unpacked her bags. They would be in Yirilath for a while, so she may as well get comfortable.

The next morning the Whisper Man and his apprentice examined Yirilath for spells and questioned everyone. By the end of the day they were forced to admit they were at a dead end without more to go on. But they would wait it out and see who would turn up dead next.


End file.
